Disposal-driven cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure teaches an apparatus that utilizes a garbage disposal unit to drive rotationally modular brushes, polishers, scrubbers, sponges and the like for washing dishes, flatware, cooking utensils, cookware and other items in a sink. The apparatus may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit, or partially or fully integrated into one.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/310,223, filed 18 Mar. 2016.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

DESCRIPTION

1. Field of Technology

At least some embodiments disclosed herein relate, in general, to thefield of motor-driven cleaning tools and attachments, including, but notlimited to, motor-powered brushes, polishers, scrubbers, and sponges.

2. Background as to Certain Embodiments

Washing dishes, glasses, and flatware, and cooking utensils and cookwareby hand typically requires the use of brushes, sponges, cleaning pads,scouring pads, steel wool, wash cloths, or some combination of these.Manual scrubbing using these implements can be time consuming andtedious, requiring significant effort and patience to remove particlesof food, grime, deposits, and films effectively. This is also the casefor pre-washing of articles for placement in an automatic dishwasher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments illustrated are by way of example, and not limitation,in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like referencesindicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of an apparatus that may beremovably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket, as well as amodular cleaning brush component.

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatusthat may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of an apparatus thatmay be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socket.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a view of an embodiment of an apparatusthat may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socketwhen in fully extended position.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of a view of an embodiment of an apparatusthat may be removably attached to a garbage disposal unit via a socketwhen in fully compressed position.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment of an apparatus it mightattach to a garbage disposal unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not tobe construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances,well-known or conventional details are not described in order to avoidobscuring the description. References to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” in the present disclosure are not necessarily references tothe same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodimentof the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” orsubstantially similar phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separateor alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments.Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by someembodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements aredescribed which may be requirements for some embodiments but not otherembodiments.

An embodiment of may be comprised of various types of metal such asstainless steel, alloys, plastics and other suitable materials, alone orin combination, well known in the art. In an embodiment, there may beincluded a rod which may be a single piece or, as illustrated in FIG. 1through FIG. 6, may be comprised of two sections, including a rod base101 and a rod top 122.

In an embodiment, a rod base 101 may include a proximal end 102 and adistal end 103, and may be constructed of stainless steel or othersuitable materials well-known in the art. A rod base 101 in anembodiment may have an upper portion 104 and a lower portion 105, andmay have a fixed washer 106 separating the upper portion from the lowerportion. An embodiment may have a rod top 122 comprising a proximal end123 and a distal end 124, an upper portion 125 and a lower portion 126,and may include a spring stop 127 interposed between said upper portion125 and said lower portion 126.

In an embodiment, stabilizer 114 with an upper side 115 and a lower side116 may be configured to affix itself about the drain of a sink. Astabilizer 114, in an embodiment, may be configured to accept one ormore adherence elements 117 such as, by way of illustration, and notlimitation, plastic or rubber suction cups, o-rings, screws, bolts, etc.In an embodiment, stabilizer 114 may be comprised of high densityplastic, rubber, metal, or other suitable materials well known in theart.

In an embodiment, an end of a rod may include a cleaning element 129,which cleaning element 129 may be permanently attached to said rod, oras illustrated in the two-piece rod embodiment presented in FIG. 1through FIG. 6, removably attachable and modular in nature. An end of arod 123 may include, or be adapted to receives illustrated in thetwo-piece rod embodiment presented in FIG. 1 through FIG. 6, aquick-change socket 128 capable of removably receiving one or morecleaning components 129. In an embodiment, cleaning components 129 couldinclude, by way of illustration and without limitation, brushes,polishers, scrubbers, or sponges.

In an embodiment, an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101 may haveexternal threading 107. In an embodiment, an end of a rod may beconfigured to be detachably received by the motor shaft 602 of a garbagedisposal unit 601 or could be integrated permanently with said motorshaft 602. In the two-piece rod embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 throughFIG. 6, a distal end 103 of a rod base 101 may be configured to bedetachably received by the motor shaft 602 of a garbage disposal unit601 by means of an intermediate piece 603 engaged with said motor shaft602, such as, by way of illustration, and not limitation, a universalsocket, said intermediate piece configured to be permanently orremovably attached to the motor shaft 602 of a garbage disposal unit601.

An embodiment may comprise an outer spring 108, with a proximal end 109and a distal end 110, through which outer spring 108 said upper portion104 of a rod base 101 may be inserted until the outer spring 108compresses at its distal end 110 against a fixed washer 106 and at itsproximal end 109 against a lower side 116 of a stabilizer 114. In anembodiment, a lower portion 126 of a rod top 122 may be inserted throughan inner spring 111 with a proximal end 112 and a distal end 113 untilsaid inner spring 111 has been seated at its proximal end 112 against aspring stop 127. A lower portion 126 of a rod top 122, and an innerspring 111 surrounding said lower portion 126 may be configured, in anembodiment, to be inserted through a proximal end 109 of an outer spring108, and together may be seated within a rod base socket 104A. in aproximal end 102 of a rod base 101. In an embodiment, said outer spring108 and said inner spring 111 may be constructed of stainless steel orother suitable materials well-known in the art.

An embodiment ay include a stabilizer 114 with a central orifice 118configured to accept and pass through it a rod. In a two-piece rodembodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, a lower portion 126 of arod top 122, and an inner spring 111 surrounding said lower portion 126,may be configured pass through said central orifice 118. In anembodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, an upper portion 104 of a rod base101 may pass through said central orifice 118.

In an embodiment, a stabilizer 114 may be configured to extend about thediameter of a drain in a sink to allow adherence elements 117 tocontact, and adhere to, the floor of the inner portion of a sink. Anembodiment may include a stabilizer 114 adapted to allow water to flowinto a drain of a sink, such as one comprising arms 119, as illustratedin FIG. 1 through FIG. 6.

A hollow adjusting dial 120 in an embodiment may be seated about acentral orifice 118 against the upper portion 115 of a stabilizer 114,allowing an upper portion 104 of a rod base 101, the lower portion of arod top 126 and an inner spring 110 to pass through it. In anembodiment, a hollow adjusting dial 120 may include internal threading121 adapted to engage external threading 107 of an upper portion 104 ofa rod base 101.

In an embodiment, the position of a rod may be adjusted to conform tothe depth of a sink utilizing a hollow adjusting dial 120. The range ofadjustment may, in a two-piece rod embodiment, be contingent upon therespective lengths of a rod base 101 and of a rod top 122.

In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. The specificationand drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative senserather than a restrictive sense.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a rod, configured at one end to bereceived by means of an intermediate piece engaged with the motor shaftof a garbage disposal unit; a stabilizer with a central orifice, saidstabilizer configured to be affixed about the drain of a sink, throughwhich central orifice said rod passes; and a cleaning element attachedto the other end of said rod.
 2. An apparatus comprising: a rod, saidrod including a rod base that incorporates a fixed washer and isconfigured to attach at its distal end to the motor shaft of a disposal,and further including a rod top with a spring stop, the lower portion ofsaid rod top adapted to accept an inner spring to be compressed againstsaid spring stop, and said lower portion of said rod top, together withsaid inner spring, configured to pass through an outer spring and thenceto be seated within a rod base socket; a stabilizer with a centralorifice, said stabilizer configured to be affixed about the drain of asink, against the lower side of which stabilizer said outer spring maybe compressed, and through the central orifice of which said rod passes;and a cleaning element attached to said rod top at its proximal end. 3.An apparatus comprising: a rod, including a rod base that includes anexternally threaded upper portion and a lower portion, said upperportion and said lower portion separated by a fixed washer, said rodbase configured to be attached at its distal end to the motor shaft of agarbage disposal unit, and said externally threaded upper portionconfigured to pass through the distal end of an outer spring such thatsaid outer spring may be compressed at its distal end against said fixedwasher, and further including a rod top with an upper portion and loverportion separated by a spring stop, the lower portion of said rod topadapted to pass into the proximal end of an inner spring such that saidspring at its proximal end may be compressed against said spring stop,and said lower portion of said rod top, together with the distal end ofsaid inner spring, configured to pass through said outer spring andthence to be seated within a rod base socket; a stabilizer with acentral orifice, said stabilizer configured to be affixed about thedrain of a sink, against the lower side of which stabilizer the proximalend of said outer spring may be compressed, and through the centralorifice of which may pass the threaded upper portion of said rod base,including any portion of said lower portion of said rod top and saidinner spring that may be seated within a rod base socket; and a cleaningelement attached to said rod top at its proximal end.
 4. The apparatusof claim 3, wherein the stabilizer allows water to pass through thedrain of a sink.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the stabilizerallows water to pass through the drain of a sink by means of a pluralityof arms.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stabilizer may beaffixed about the drain of a sink by means of adherence elementsattached to said arms.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein theadherence elements are suction cups.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3, inwhich said rod base is configured to attach at its distal end to anintermediate piece, said intermediate piece permanently attached to themotor shaft of a garbage disposal unit.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, inwhich said intermediate piece comprises a socket.
 10. The apparatus ofclaim 3, in which said rod base is configured to attach at its distalend to an intermediate piece removably attached to the motor shaft of agarbage disposal unit.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which saidintermediate piece comprises a universal socket.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 3, in which the distal end of said rod base comprises a socket.13. The apparatus of claim 3, in which the cleaning element is modularand attaches to a quick-change socket included at the proximal end ofthe rod top.
 14. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a hollowadjusting dial seated about the central orifice of the stabilizer andagainst the upper portion of the stabilizer, said hollow adjusting dialincorporating internal threading adapted to engage the externalthreading of the upper portion of the rod base.